Celebrating the season with co-workers

I attempted to squeeze in every minute of sleep possible without risking being late. That equated into getting up at 5:50am. And just like the night before, the sky was filled with brilliant stars. I made very quick work of my exercise and walk with Ykraps. And while I was preparing morning coffee, Mindy came downstairs. That's rare! She came down to get her breakfast casserole started. Admittedly, she had asked me to put it in the oven but I forgot. After she preheated the oven she returned upstairs to get a shower and to dress. She had also requested an earlier wake-up call. Oops! I didn't need to pack her lunch - only my own. She didn't want breakfast either since they were having a breakfast potluck at school. Come 6:40am, after playing on my PC I realized that Mindy never did load the casserole into the oven she only preheated it. Again, oops! I put it in. Mindy wanted to leave early but her casserole slowed her down. She didn't leave until her usual time - about 7:20am. After she left I showered and dressed. I didn't leave for work until 7:55am. I arrived around 8:10am. I didn't accomplish much before I needed to depart for Bella's Xmas show. I left the office at 9:25am destined for her pre-school on Briggs Rd. I arrived at about 9:50am. Grandma Sharon was there in the parking lot with a car load of kids. In the group of kids was Jacob and Lil' Rocky. Rocky gave me a big hug and so did Jacob. We all walked in together. After finding seats, I took a few pictures of all the kids. Soon, Mindy and her mother arrived as did Jim Manken - Bella's daddy. She show began by the teacher having everyone join in Xmas carols. She had a really nice voice. The kids' show finally started. And if you've ever been to an early elementary Xmas show, imagine one with kids even younger. It was really cute. Without a doubt the Latinos have the "boogie" gene. Bella was very dramatic, not only with her swinging hips but with her hand gestures and her eyebrows! I laughed out loud a number of times. I got 30 seconds of video too. After the show ended, everyone was invited in for cookies and cake with the kids. I chose not to stay. Instead, I headed back to work for our 11am staff meeting. I made it back to the office and to the meeting by 11:05am. My boss wasn't there yet. I was on time! Our meeting went until 1pm - a full two hours. By then, I was hungry and chompin' at the bit to get running. I hurried back to my office and woofed down my stash of nuts and then promptly left for my run. I made it back from my run at 2:05pm. We were all set to have our team Xmas outing beginning at 3pm, so I had little time to do much else. I left for the Brazenhead at 2:45pm, making a couple quick holiday stops along the way. Brazen we learned, was not open until 4pm. Everyone congregated at the Dublin Tavern until just before 4pm. At 400pm we made our way a block north to Brazenhead. They were finally open. I went to my car to grab the card for Jim McK and my camera. Brazenhead has three levels. We took to the lower level (basement) where they have a cozy fireplace and bar. There we ordered Christmas Ales and tons of appetizers. We hung out until about 7pm. But a few left earlier. I arrived home just after 7:30pm. The kids were just about ready for bed when I arrived. I helped Mindy get the kids in bed and then we hung out for about another hour. We went to bed ourselves just after 9pm. I took a couple Advil to help stave off any potential headache from the three beers I drank.

Slow Down!

Happy B-Day Dad, Char, and Grandma! I didn't catch much of the Bengals game the night before, but I figured they lost. They were sporting a more than porous defense when I lost interest and gave way to sleep. I woke Tuesday morning close to 5:30am. And just like most other days, I exercised and walked Ykraps in short order. I was sitting at my PC checking the MNF score and reading the Daily OM with a hot cup of coffee in hand by 6am. As expected, the Bengals lost to the Colts. I began prepping food and making breakfast shortly there after. Today was Jacob's last day of school until next year. He seemed indifferent to it. Give him time. Once he starts school everyday, he'll understand that it's a requirement to be jubilant when school finally lets out for Xmas. Everyone was on their way by 7:20am. I showered and dressed for work and was back downstairs by 7:35am. It was another beautiful morning like so many of late. We're getting awfully spoiled with all of this autumn like weather. I left for work at 7:50 and arrived by 8:05am. Work was busy but we could see the usual holiday slowdown approaching. Still, there was plenty to do! I left for my run at 12:30pm - a little earlier than usual. My run went well. It was about 44 degrees at runtime. It was chilly enough to minimize sweating but warm enough to not be bothersome. After my run I showered, dressed, and then headed for the Trooper. I had a couple Xmas errands to run. I stopped at Tuttle Mall to hit the Macy's preview sale. The item I wanted was not available.Oh well! Back to work. I was back at work at my usual time - 2pm. The afternoon was busier than expected. It was after 5pm when I was finally able to leave for the day. Mindy had already called and firmed dinner plans. She was making polish sausage and sauer kraut - a dish we both have come to love. I called her as I was driving home to let her know that I was stopping at Target. I needed to get a few things for Kaileigh and some picture frames. While there I ran into brother Bob doing some Xmas minute shopping, too. He confirmed his families attendance at the family Xmas party this coming Saturday. I arrived home by 6:30pm. Dinner was all but ready. I walked Ykraps and put my running clothes in the dryer. I can't enjoy dinner with those pre-meal chores hanging over my head. Finally, by 6:50pm I was enjoying dinner. It was delicious! After dinner I made quick work of the dishes while Mindy took care of some kiddie issues. The kids played in the basement for a few before Mindy incented them to head upstairs to ready for bed. While they readied for bed, I updated my blog. After the kids were asleep Mindy and wrapped gifts while I printed off selected photos for each of our siblings and parents, which would serve as Xmas gifts. After printing the photos we framed and boxed all eleven. We decided to wrap them later. After all that fun we decided to get in the hot tub. It was a clear, starry night. We enjoyed the warmth and comfort of the hot tub for about twenty minutes. I mentioned to Mindy that I was ready for the week to slow now that Tuesday was behind us. The rest of the week will be crammed with lots of activities; parties, shows, and travel. We went to bed at 10:50pm - late for us.

Time Out

I purposefully slept until I could sleep no more. It was Monday morning and just before I rolled out of bed, Mindy's alarm went off. I heard the weatherman mention that it was 54 degrees and it was only 5:45am. That's warm! There will be plenty of morning's in late May that won't be nearly that warm. Check me on it!! I took my vitamin, exercised, and walked Ykraps as the clock struck 6am. While on my walk I convinced myself to go into work late and use the time to wrap Mindy's gifts. I was at peace with my decision. When else am I going to have time? I went about my morning just as I would any other day. I didn't want Mindy to know what I was planning, although I did mention it in passing over the weekend. She left at her usual time - about 7:20am. As soon as she pulled away I logged into work via my laptop and sent my team and boss a message indicating that I'd be late. Next, I began organizing myself around wrapping. It took almost half an hour to gather the gifts, the materials, and the right boxes. Finally, come almost 8am I was ready to begin wrapping. I wrapped until almost 9:30am. And for whatever reason, I felt incredibly stressed. For one, I couldn't make up my mind what to do with the wrapped gifts. Do I put them under the tree or do I hide them? After some back and forth I finally decided to hide them until maybe Saturday. It was already after 10am. I decided rather than hurry into work that I would do a little work from home and then go for my run. That way I wouldn't carry a burden to work with me. Good plan! The run pretty much eased my anxiety. I felt so much better afterwards. It was now almost 10:45am. I took a quick shower and headed into work. Once at work, I hunkered down for the next six hours. I took only one break to eat my packed lunch. The time went fast, though, and before I knew it, it was time to head home. I stayed around work until almost 5:30pm. This was a Mindy Monday so we would have a little more than an hour together before the kids got home. When I finally arrived home we walked Ykraps together. To be efficient, we dropped the Schultz's Crock Pot off too. While there, Mindy gave Lisa our email address so she could send us the delicious buffalo chicken dip recipe. Back at home we ate left over party food for dinner. We had meatballs, baby sausages, and buffalo chicken dip. Mindy had some Barley's chicken wings, too. For dessert, I had a piece of my chocolate chip cheesecake. After we cleaned up, the kids arrived home. They were full of energy. Mindy made Jacob do his homework first thing in the door. Not long after, she chased them both upstairs to ready for bed. I joined later for the read and tuck. For one reason or another, Bella got a little snippy with her momma. That earned her a quick time-out. It didn't last long. Suddenly she wanted to be a cooperator! By 7:45pm both kids were in bed and asleep. Back downstairs I finished updating my weekend blog entries. At 8:40pm I went in to watch MNF - the Bengals and the Colts. I watched a little of South Park, too. Great show but it was a rerun from 2000. I switched back to the game and fell asleep. Finally, at about 10:45pm, I headed up to bed.

An off-shore sweat shop

1) An actual flower factory 2) Bella, not so happy I woke Sunday morning around 7:30am wide awake. When I went to bed I wasn’t sure if I’d have a hangover or not and was wise enough to swallow a couple of Advil before climbing into bed. As it turned, I felt great. More than the Advil, I am sure it everything to do with all the food I ate. I can’t remember the last time I ate so much. And it’s not that I ate large portions. Instead, I simply ate _all_night long. Mindy asked that I keep quiet as not to wake the kids. Not only was she interested in getting more sleep but she knew that her kids would be real buggers if they got up at their usual time. Bella stayed up until midnight and Jacob was up until about 11:30pm. A lot of kids would still get up at their usual time after such an event, I warned. Still, I was careful about making much noise. I exercised, made coffee, and walked Ykraps. I was surprised how warm it was when he and I walked. It was already in the 50’s and it wasn’t even 8am. I returned home for some coffee and some surfing keeping in mind Mindy’s request to be silent. It wasn’t long before Mindy joined me downstairs while Bella lounged in our bed watching a DVD. Jacob, Mindy reported, was still asleep. I dressed and left for a run just after 9am. Once again, I took Trabue Rd. It just feels better – more wideopeness. I returned from my run somewhere close to 9:40am. Mindy had made crescent rolls for the kids, and they smelt really good. I had one. She had already cleaned up all the remaining party mess, too. Bless her! After a little more coffee, I grabbed my guitar and headed onto the deck. It was sunny and warm, and December 17th! Before long Mindy and Bella joined me on the deck. We stayed out there for about 30 minutes. When we finally went back inside, Jacob asked if I would play some football with him in the basement playroom. I did. We played knee football for almost an hour. My knees were sore from running on them. He won 77-73. It was nearly time for NFL football when we finished up. Mindy had already started addressing our holiday cards. Bella was quietly watching a video in the family room and I didn’t have the heart (or guts) to overthrow her. Jacob and I went up to my room to watch some football. I fell asleep after the first quarter and probably slept until about 2:15pm waking only a couple of times as Jacob moved nervously about. Where had the day gone? I took a shower then headed downstairs where I enjoyed some of the buffalo chicken dip Pat Schultz brought & left at our party last night. It was doubly delicious!! While I chowed, Mindy showered. Our afternoon plan called for dinner at Gloria’s and perhaps even a stop at the Flower Factory to get party favor gifts for the upcoming family Xmas party. We left for Gloria’s around 3:15pm. Gloria was more than happy to entertain the kids while Mindy and I ran to the Flower Factory, which is only 2 miles from her home. Immediately in the door, I likened it to a rundown Garden Ridge. It was crowded too. We didn’t loli-gag around. We went right for the kiddie toy area. We found oodles of toys that will make perfect little gifts for all the kids next Saturday. While there, Mindy grabbed a few things she needed for a class project too. We were back at Gloria’s by about 4pm. I wasn’t in the door five minutes when Jacob asked me to go out and throw the football with him. I did even though I was a little achy form our earlier game. We threw the foot ball for about twenty minutes or more. I went in as the sun began to sink on the western horizon. And it wasn’t long before dinner was ready. We had lasagna, barbeque beef, potatoes and green beans, and rolls. It was very good and very filling. For dessert, Gloria made cinnamon bread, and we brought some chocolate chip cookies and the rest of our chocolate chip cookie cheesecake. I had a piece of my cheesecake since I didn’t eat any last night. Mindy was very tired and had been all weekend. We left Gloria’s around 6:38pm – likely the earliest ever. We were home even before 7pm. Jacob insisted on walking Ykraps with me but turned for home after about 50 paces. He said his feet hurt. Ykraps and I went on without him. We were back in short order. Mindy already has the kids I the bathtub. I surfed the net catching up on all of the day’s NFL action. Incidentally, the Vikings lost. Crap! Mindy asked me to join the read and tuck. I spent the lion’s share of my time in with Bella while Jacob read with his momma. After the kids were fast sleep – about 7:30pm – we went back downstairs and had a glass of wine & chatted.

Plop-Plop, Fizz-Fizz...

1) Paul's - a Grandview tradition 2) a slice of our holiday party 3) bung holio! A Friday night at Barley’s and I didn’t take Advil before going to bed. A smarter plan would’ve included doing just that. Even though I drank only three beers, I woke a number of times with a mild headache that wouldn’t go away on its own. Finally, when I couldn’t take it any longer (around 7am) I fumbled my way to the medicine chest only to find it void of any Advil. Crap! I knew that I had some in my travel kit, however, so I made my way to the spare room where it was stored along with all the rest of our luggage. After choking two Advil I crawled back into bed for another 30 minutes of rest. I woke again around 7:30am and felt a whole lot better. I wasted little time getting going with my day. I made a pot of Starbucks, whipped out my exercise, and walked Ykraps. The morning air was much colder than I expected given that the high temp was expected to approach 60 degrees. In fact, we even had frost scattered about. We didn’t have the kids so the house was quiet when I returned from my walk. Mindy remained in bed. I poured myself a cup of coffee and spent the next half hour surfing the web. Around 8:45am I dressed for a run a quietly ventured out without waking Mindy. I took the Trabue Rd trail, and the traffic was minimal. Despite it being sunny, the air was still much chillier than recent days. I was back from my run by 9:40am. Mindy was up and in the kitchen having coffee. I spent the next ten minutes replacing two of three blue spot lights in my backyard uplighting with green and red to add some holiday flare. Back inside, Mindy was putting the finishing touches on the shopping list for our holiday party later tonight. I asked Mindy if she wanted to go out for breakfast first. She did. I asked that she ready quickly. We left for Paul’s Pantry in Grandview around 1035am. Surprisingly, it wasn’t nearly as packed as I thought it might be. There were several tables still available, although they had a shortage of help. We were seated after just a few minutes wait. Mindy ordered a designer omelet. I ordered two eggs over medium, ham, and home fries. Breakfast was good. We left Paul’s around 11:20am destined for the Grandview/Arlington Kroger. As expected, Kroger was quite crowded. We didn’t mind, though. We were doing good on time. We got some party goodies – food, beer, wine, ice, etc. Mindy spent about $122. We wound are way back home through Arlington down Cambridge and back to Trabue. It’s such a beautiful drive, especially around Xmas. We were home just afternoon. After putting away the groceries, Mindy and I split some of the house cleaning chores to help expedite the process. She asked me to vacuum the house while she did two of the bathrooms. I took the extra time to feather dust and vacuum all the nooks and cranny’s too. Because of this, it took over an hour. I also watered all the house plants. After finishing the vacuuming, I scrubbed our shower stall. To do the job effectively, I always dawn a swim suit or undies so that I can get wet. Because we use Clorox bathroom cleaner between scrubbings, it doesn’t get to dirty expect for the white acrylic shower floor. I used Comet bathroom cleaner and Clorox, allowing it to soak before I scrubbed it. That took about an hour, too. I was finished with my two big chores around 2:30pm. Mindy headed to church to do the alter but would only be gone a short while. While she was gone I got busy making a chocolate chip cookie cheesecake. By the time I was pulling it out of the oven she was just back from church. For the next hour we worked to get the rest of the party food going in our crock pots and Mindy put the finishing touches on the décor. It looked great! It was now about 4:30pm. We were expecting the kids by 5pm and our guests to begin arriving near 6:30pm. The kids arrived right on queue – 5pm. Jacob and I watched the Buckeye basketball game for the next hour or so. The kids were juiced about the party, even more so that Mindy. 6:30pm came quickly. Everything was set. The first guests showed up just after 6:30pm and we had a steady stream from there on. At one point we had about six teachers present, and a few really cute ones. Most folks brought something to drink and eat. And when our Barley’s friends arrived we had a few growlers of micro brew along with some Barley appetizers – wings and nachos. Mindy had a basket full of party favors all ready for our kiddie guests. Those went over well. Some of our guests left early and we had just as many late arrivals keeping the number of attendees about the same. The party thinned around 10pm but our last guest didn’t leave until about midnight. In fact, Mindy cleaned up a large portion of the food and dishes while talking with our last guest, Tara who didn’t arrive until almost 10pm. We had a good time, and we think everyone who attended did too. We’ll be doing a similar event next Saturday for family.

Friday: A Barley's night

Friday at Barleys! Up late - 5:50am Work - warm day - windy run Xmas shoppng after work - Tuttle, Home Depot, & Target. Talked with Dodie tonight on my drive home. She'll be coming on the 23rd. Barley's... 1) Rick 2) Jeremy & Courtney 3) Bob 4) Tommy 5) Mindy 6) Jimmy

Damn Sofa!

Even after going to bed rather early the night before, I slept a little late. I didn’t get out of bed until almost 5:50am. I felt good, though. I went through my usual morning paces and didn’t rush myself. Somehow or another I managed to get back on track with the clock during food prep. I guess things just went faster than usual. By 7:00am we were sitting for breakfast. Jacob was up with us while Bella remained firmly planted in her bed. She was up a few times during the night crying that her legs itched and insisting on some cream. Mindy always accommodates to bring peace. Mindy looked awfully tired this morning for it. She reported feeling exhausted and perhaps on the verge of getting sick. Uh-oh! She left at her normal time. She asked that I remember to upload our family Xmas pic to the CVS webpage and order 80 prints before I left for the day. I told her I would. I went about my shower and found my way back downstairs by 7:35am. I took care of several pressing issues before leaving for work. And just as mindy requested, I uploaded the desired photo and created an online account just for her. I sent her a confirmation so that she could pick-up the finished photos on her way home from school. I made the decision to drive the BM’er to work. The weather forecast called for sunny and almost 60 degrees. Last year at this time we were in the deep freeze. I figured I oughta take advantage of such nice weather because this time of year we could be in the freezer for 45 days on end. To drive the BM’er meant I had to work some logistics. I had to move the Trooper onto the street and out of my path. Too, I had to grab the garage door opener from it as well. No biggie. It was still a little brisk. It was only about 43 degrees. But with the heater on my knuckles and the seat warmer on, I was plenty cozy. It was an invigorating drive. I’m glad I chose to drive it. The only draw back to driving the BM’er was that any after work Xmas shopping would have to be postponed until I have the Trooper. Again, no biggie! Work went well, but it was a very busy day. My boss kept me hoping all morning long. My mom called me on my cell phone to let me know that she finally received the flowers I sent for her B-day. She said they were the most beautiful flowers that she’s ever received. They did deliver them a day late. I will address that with my florist later. She shared the findings from her most recent medical tests which point to clogged arteries as the likely cause. They will most likely need to place some stints in her arteries. She’ll learn more later. She’ll also be off of work for another week. I invited her to our family Xmas open house on the 23rd. She was tentative about coming, however, for not wanting to upset Sheila. I explained that no one would find it unusual for my mother to be at my home for Xmas – duh - even Sheila. She’s not so sure, but agreed to think about it. We discussed burial plot issues - hers, dads, etc. She proclaimed wanting to be buried with her boys and not with her mother. I pointed out the incongruence of that idea. She chooses to live far from us and not visit very often but wants to be buried by us. Likes us better dead I suppose! J I left for my run around 12:45pm. It was nearly 56 degrees when I departed, although the sky wasn’t the brilliant blue I had assumed it to be. Instead, it was somewhat overcast. And once again, there was a steady and swift breeze coming out of the SW. For whatever reason, it got to me today, but what a difference when at my back! I was looking forward to my packed lunch after my run. I made tunafish salad for the first time in over a month. It was delicious! I had a busy afternoon. The hope of a quiet Xmas season has not yet manifested. I’m certain it will in the next couple of days, however. I wrapped up my day just after 5pm and left the building into an almost dark evening. Even though it was dark, it was still warmer than it was this morning. The drive home wasn’t bad at all. I took the back way even though I-270 didn’t look too backed up. I just prefer to take the winding back roads in the BM’er. I was home just before 5:30pm – no real traffic jams. Mindy thawed steaks for dinner that I promised to cook after returning from walking Ykraps. She doesn’t trust herself to cook the steaks, thus always asks me to do it. For whatever reason, she always overcooks them. So, after walking Ykraps I put the steaks in the broiler. She told me that the 80 Xmas pictures from CVS had cut Jacob out of the photo. When she asked them about it, they told her that they don’t even see them. They just print the file to the size prescribed with no control over quality. Hmm? I simply sent them the jpeg as the webpage indicated. While the steaks cooked, I found a way to format the jpeg to a 4X6 photo before saving. CVS told her that if she brought the file in on a CD that they could ensure they didn’t crop out an important subject and could maintain quality control over color and luminance. Before burning to CD I finished cooking the steaks and sat down to dinner with the family. While we enjoyed steak, Bella enjoyed leftover pizza, and Jacob enjoyed a Mexican microwave meal. They don’t care for steak. We had a nice garden salad along with some broccoli and cheese. It turned out very good. After dinner I made quick work of the dinner dishes. I was eager to get back on the photo issue along with other Xmas related projects. Mindy raced the kids upstairs for a bath while I toiled at the PC. I went upstairs to join in for the read and tuck. I spent my time with Bella. She’s gotten used to me tucking her in and now insists on it. Jacob, on the other hand, could care less. Once back downstairs, I poured myself a glass of Spumante’. That just sounded so good! My plan was to observe the Blue Jackets game too. We’re on a five game winning streak. It’s the longest I can recall, although I’m told we’ve had longer. Mindy and I sat together for a few before she headed to bed early – about 8:30pm. She was exhausted and it was that time of the month. Just after she went to bed, someone rang the door bell. It was Pat and Lisa, our neighbors and friends. They stopped in to confirm our party details figuring that I don’t’ always answer my phone. True! We chatted for a few all the while Mindy slept. I offered them a drink but they declined citing a need to get home to Eleana, their ten year old daughter who’s celebrating her birthday today. Just as I thought he might, Pat didn’t totally buy into the Coyote story in my blog. I, however, insisted and declared my expertise having seen plenty of them around work. We both agreed that it was a good thing for ridding us of the pesky & invasive Canadian geese. After they departed I returned to the sofa where I watched a little network TV. I saw part of Office, Scrubs, and 30 Rock. I kept going in and out of sleep, however, so I saw all of nothing. I did manage to see the BJ’s tie the hockey game at four. I woke on the sofa with a back ache at 10:45pm and mustered enough energy to make it up to bed. Damn sofa!

Olivia visits Grandpa!

Wednesday morning came around quickly. I was up and out of bed on time – roughly 5:30am. I woke already feeling stressed over the fast approaching holiday and the seemingly endless stream of social events. I reminded myself to drink it all in rather than stress/worry about it. Why do it if it’s not fun? I felt a lot better after my up close and personal pep talk. Ykraps and I did our walk on another unusually warm pre-winter morning. The moon, a bit less than half, was high in the sky and extremely bright due to the clear skies. I packed lunches and made our breakfast just as I always do. Nothing out of the ordinary this morning. I did make time to play the saxophone again this morning before leaving for work. Work was steady. We had a staff meeting this morning where we reviewed holiday staffing for on-call and such. Unfortunately, even though I am on vacation, I will be on-call over Xmas weekend. The luck of the draw, I guess. We also planned a Mngmt staff Xmas outing for next Wednesday evening at a venue to be named later. I left for my run near 1pm – a bit latter than usual. Things got dicey leading up to run time. The weather was nice with temperatures hovering around 55 and the sun shining rather brightly. But as is often the case, there was a stiff & chilly breeze blowing out of the SW. That’ll pretty much be a permanent fixture all winter. The only variant will be whether it’s out of the NW or the SW. The NW version is most often accompanied by much colder temps. I worked up quite a sweat on my run. It felt good to get out of my sweat soaked clothes and get in the shower. I was back in my office just after 2pm. The afternoon was as busy as the mid-morning. I talked with Mindy after she got out of school. We agreed that I would be going Xmas shopping immediately after work. She would be running errands. Later she called to see if I wanted to meet her for dinner since it was a Mindy Wednesday, but I declined for wanting/needing to Xmas shop. We can go to dinner anytime. As 5pm approached, I made a quick exit from the office. I was determined to make several key Xmas shopping stops. I called Mindy once again and she informed me that she made arrangements for Ashley to come visit with Olivia and that she was going to forego choir practice. That made me happy. That meant I didn’t need to worry about a deadline that would be difficult to meet. That helped frame my evening in a more positive light. I was able to knock several gifts off my list. Come 7:30pm I was headed for home. I stopped at no less than six places, not including Minelli’s where I picked up a pizza just before heading home. At home I first secured the gifts I purchased then went in to visit with Ashley and Olivia. I woofed down several pieces of pizza at the same time. I was awfully hungry. While Mindy prepared the kids for bed, I took some Xmas pictures of Ashley and Olivia by the Xmas tree. They turned out nicely. Ashley departed somewhere near 9pm. I noted how quickly her body has bounced back in shape after only having a baby 7 weeks ago. She has only a little bit of tummy left over and that’s it. Mindy and I took the opportunity before she left to discuss her future plans with her – a subject we’ve avoided till now. We’ve avoided it so that she could focus her full attention on Olivia, but it is time to begin thinking seriously about her own career and future. After Ashley left, we talked about the coming events and everything we each need to do. It doesn’t seem like much until you realize there’s hardly anytime to rest and relax – something both of us like to do. We went to bed around 10pm ET.

Xmas Moosical

Going to bed at an early hour the night before did nothing to jeopardize my 5:30am wake-up. In fact, I was up a few minutes early laying there contemplating the day. But I’m not one who enjoys laying casually in bed. It seems like such as waste of time. I’m sure there are healthful benefits to it, but I’m just not wired that way. I’d rather be up moving some idea forward with action. I exercised, walked Ykraps, and made our first cup of coffee before 6am once again. Before making food I read the Daily OM and checked my email. After breakfast Mindy wrestled Jacob to the floor to install eye drops to clear the pink eye. She was going to do Bella but decided the evening would be more conducive to the sure battle. Honestly, though, Jacob didn’t fight her at all. Mindy reminded me about the 2nd grade Xmas show tonight and asked if I planned to attend. I told her I would. To leave with her, I would have to be home by 5:30pm. The house was clear by the usual 7:20am. I was left alone to shower and finish readying for work. I was downstairs by 7:34am. Again today, I took ten minutes to play the saxophone. I left for work around 7:50am. Clouds were moving in just as the sun was rising. And while the temperature was expected to reach into the mid to upper 50’s, rain was expected, too. The morning went quickly. I stayed very busy. I left for my run around 12:45pm. The streets were still dry as I left for my run and the sky, while cloudy, didn’t look like rain. As it turned out, the day’s run went smoothly. And compared to the last several days, there was only a slight breeze blowing out of the SW. I stopped in to see my boss after my run. We chatted about a few different things. I was back in my office by 2:15pm eating my packed lunch. I talked with Ashley while I ate. She told me she was thinking of visiting this evening. I let her know that unless she was coming after 8pm, we wouldn’t be there due to Mindy’s 2nd grade Xmas show. She rescheduled for Wednesday evening. She told me, too, that she kept Lil’ Rocky home with her today since Linzy had a doctor’s appointment. The afternoon breezed by and it wasn’t long before 5pm was right on top of me. And in an effort to be home by 5:30pm I left promptly at 5:05pm. It was raining when I left the building and did nothing but come down even harder as I made my way home. I pulled into the drive just before 5:30pm. Mindy walked Ykraps and had already prepped coffee for tomorrow AM. All I had to do was put my running clothes in the dryer and rinse my lunch containers. I did that lickity-split! We all loaded into the Trooper destined first for Gloria’s since she was joining us at Mindy’s school play. As we entered Holy Hill we could see that her car was still where she leaves it each morning as part of her own little park and ride routine. We sat in her drive until she got home. It was only a five minute wait. Even still, the kids, and especially Jacob, got a bit restless. Finally, just after 6pm, Gloria arrived home. Mindy went in the house with her for a brief minute while I waited in the Trooper with the kids. In the meantime, Jacob was acting up mostly by kicking my seat and being defiant. That lasted just a minute or until Mindy and her mom loaded in. Soon we were on our way to Monterey Elementary School. The rain continued making driving a little tough. We arrived at school around 6:25pm. We parked along the curb by the school’s main entry making for a quick exit and entrance, which was nice given all the rain. We headed to Mindy’s classroom where she met up with some of her peers and began doing her role in all of this. We headed into the auditorium where the show would eventually commence. Right off the bat I say my old pals, Danny & Mary Elswick. As I understand it, their grand-daughter is in Keri Ann’s 2nd grade class, and also in the show. We talked for a few. They shared the story of my ex responding to an add their son placed online or in the paper selling his Bull Mastiff (a ridiculously large breed of dog). Kelly drove to Rushville, Ohio to buy it from him. She didn’t realize it was him until she asked who to make the check out to. They both crapped when they recognized one another. Apparently Todd shared with his parents how much Kelly has changed over the years. It was crowded so finding seats was important. They moved on quickly. I did tell them of my recent engagement to Mindy whom they’ve only met once. Later I saw Keri Ann’s boyfriend, Kevin back chatting with Danny. After the show I asked Kevin if he knew Danny. To my surprise, he was one of Todd’s best friends form high school and spent lots of hours at their home and in their hot tub. That shocked me! I probably met Kevin when he was just a high school punk hanging with Todd, and now he’s dating one of Mindy’s good friends. That’s good for a laugh or two. The show went quick. These elementary school shows are all about the same. Young kids in costume singing and speaking lines with almost no emotion. They’re still learning the art of acting. They’re simply following someone’s queue. Many look completely uninterested. Still, they’re cute! After the show, me and a couple other guys (Kevin and J.D.) helped tear down the stage. There’s not a lot of muscle at an elementary school by nature given that most teachers are young woman. Monterey is no exception. We left the school around 7:45pm destined for home. We dropped Gloria at her house just after 8pm. We arrived at our house by 8:30pm. By the time Mindy got the kids into their jammies and ultimately into bed it was 9pm. Just before putting Bella in bed, Mindy insisted on putting some of those pink-eye drops in her eyes for preventative measures. And boy did she ever pitch one! She’s ultra dramatic. After the kids were asleep I worked on my blog and popped some popcorn to curb my out-of-control appetite. But that’s what happens when I don’t eat dinner. After a long day, Mindy and I headed up to bed just before 10pm.

Spring-like warmth continues

Feeling well rested, I was up & out of bed at 5:30am sharp. Going to bed at such an early hour served me well once again. To stay in tune with the season, I lit the Xmas lights in both the living room and family room as I made my way downstairs to begin my morning routine. The 24 hr a day Xmas music was already playing on the stereo which we leave on most night’s anyhow. Ykraps seems to enjoy the background noise. By 5:50am I was heading out the door with Ykraps for a warm morning walk. I wore only my wooly fleece since the temp was already in the 40’s. We took an easterly walk, which is uncommon for a morning walk. 99% of the time we head west then north. And I generally allow him to lead. Today, he chose east. Probably for some of the same reasons that I like to mix up my running trail form time to time. I didn’t question it. I simply let him lead. Back home before the clock struck 6am, I found myself making our usual frou-frou coffee. I placed Mindy’s by her bedside right at 6am. I returned downstairs to read the Daily OM and to fix the day’s food. Come 7am I had lunches packed and breakfast on the island. Mindy is so spoiled! We ate our breakfast and the kids made their way downstairs. I noticed right away that Jacob’s left eye was a bit swollen and on closer observation, a little irritated. He said it didn’t itch. He has been exhibiting cold symptoms lately, too. Like most mornings, the kids were slow getting ready. Sure as it was a Monday, they were out the door by about 7:20am. I, in turn, was left behind as master of my dominion. I showered, dressed, and returned downstairs by 7:38am. I took the next 15 minutes to ready all of my work gear and then play the saxophone. I hadn’t played any tunes since last Xmas time. I shouldn’t go that long! Some of the more obscure notes fail to return to me naturally. I grabbed my handy-dandy fingering chart to recall. It comes back easily, however. I left the house around 7:55am. I remembered that I had a new guy beginning today, so I hustled out the door and ultimately onto work. The work day went well and I got my new hire introduced and organized fairly quickly. Certainly much faster than the last time. Come 12:50pm I left for my run. Today being December 11th puts us ten days away form the winter solstice. I couldn’t help but notice how low in the sky the sun plays these days. It barely seems to get 40 degrees above the horizon. Even with the low sun it was warm. It was almost 55 degrees. I was a tad on the warm side, but not too ridiculous. I was back in my office by 2pm eating my packed food. The afternoon was a bit more frantic that than the morning as I had multiple issues competing for my time. However, I managed as I always do. Unfortunately, I didn’t get out of the office until almost 5:30pm. And this was a Mindy Monday. It was almost pitch dark when I left the lot. As I pulled out into the main path out of our lot, I almost t-boned a silver Honda Accord that was flying by with no headlights on. I flashed my lights so get her attention and to help her get her lights on. But despite my efforts, she kept them off. Sadly, she was going the same direction as me taking the same turns. On a few different occasions along our way, she turned on her headlights. But as soon as she saw me she would turn them back off. I’m still not sure what she thought she was doing or proving. One thing’s for certain, she wasn’t too smart! And since she was leaving our lot, I can only assume that she’s a fellow employee. Geesh! Traffic was terrible on I-270 south. We came to a stand still a few times. The closer I got to Roberts Rd, the traffic problem became clearer. It looked to me like a cement truck rear ended a pick-up truck. A third car was involved too but they were pulled over out of the flow of traffic so I couldn’t be sure why and how. Thankfully, it didn’t appear that anyone was hurt. The traffic broke free as I passed the accident. Once I was home, Mindy took a break away from her holiday elf tasks to walk Ykraps with me. We spent the next hour or so talking about our pending holiday party and a number of other stuff. This time of year can be so busy. It’ll run you over if one allows it to. The kids showed up with Jim M a little bit after 7pm. They seemed happy to be home, especially Bella. Jacob only shows emotion after his daddy leaves. Again, understandable. Mindy coaxed them upstairs for their bath while I worked on holiday pictures and my blog. She called for my help with the tuck in process shortly thereafter. When we returned downstairs, I poured myself a glass of Spumante’ and did some internet surfing while Mindy did some Xmas cards. I joined the MNF game just after the opening kick-off. Slowly but surely I began to fall asleep. I did manage to see most of the first half. We headed to bed around 10pm.

Cantata Spumante'

I woke around 7am but drifted back to sleep until almost 7:30am. Again, I had to be mindful of the clock, so getting up and moving was critical. Mindy will be playing part in a Christmas Cantata with church choir. She needs to be there by 10am. I was looking forward to attending and cheering her on. I made a pot of coffee then quickly completed my exercise routine. Before 8am I was back from walking Ykraps, sipping coffee, and catching up on the Heisman scuttle online. I made it a priority to be out the door on my run by 8:30am. Just before leaving for the run I asked Mindy if I really needed to leave with her to church. I didn’t although I got the feeling that she much preferred me to leave with her. I opted to meet her there. That way I could take my time getting ready and take care of a couple household chores. After a run, some breakfast, and a few chores, I was ready to depart for church. Just as I was leaving Mindy called looking for her eyeglasses. I found her spare pair at and departed at roughly 10:16am. I arrived just before 10:30am. Mindy was just preparing to enter the sanctuary with the rest of the choir. I handed her eye glasses to her just in the nick of time. Lucky for me, Mindy’s mom saved me a seat. Although it wasn’t as crowded as mindy assumed. There were plenty of open seats. The Cantata was interesting to say the least, but I think it’s safe to say that no one will mistake this group for the Mormon Tabernacle. Make no mistake, I’m not saying that I could’ve done any better. No sir! But I don’t think anyone sang on key. There was a guy with a Bobby Sherman wig that freaked me out! In the end, I appreciated the entertainment value. Mindy sang her heart out and managed to crack a few panes of stained glass in the process (Mindy – I love you :)). The service ended around noon. We gathered in fellowship hall for cookies and punch. We didn’t stay long. Bella rode home with me. We stopped by Kaileigh’s to drop her school shoes. We left them on the porch. No one was home. The weather was shaping up nicely by the time we arrived home. It was nearly 50 degrees and sunny. This weather could not be wasted. My dilemma was whether to use it to put up additional exterior Xmas decorations or to rake the back yard, which had a fairly thick cover of late autumn leaf fall. And judging from years past, I knew that if I didn’t rake today that I might not be able to do it until the January thaw. I opted for the raking. Mindy was going grocery shopping and took Bella. Jacob stayed back with me and eventually joined up with me in the backyard. He was interested in playing football and jumping in a leaf pile. After I drug three tarps full of leaves back to our mulch pile, he had plenty of fluff to jump in. I raked for about 1.5 hours. Lucky for me, Mindy brought me an anti-inflammatory with a glass of water just before she left for the store. For the most part, I was able to rid the yard of the season’s final fallen leaves. That always includes the weeping willow tree and the honeysuckle bushes that line the pond and typically hold their foliage until late November or early December. After finishing up, I played an hour’s worth of football with Jacoby. The game ended in a 77-77 tie. :) We headed in and soon Mindy was home with her Wal-Mart haul. I helped drag in the bounty before retreating to the shower to rinse the yard debris remnants off of my person. When I reemerged, it was damn near time to leave for Gloria’s and Sunday dinner. We arrived at Gloria’s just after 4pm. We were the first family members to arrive. Bella was already there. Mindy dropped her off prior to grocery shopping. Within ten minutes everyone was there who was showing. Todd, Missy, Mia and Larry were absent. Gloria whipped up her family famous ‘goulash’. For dessert we had ginger bread and nut bread. I had a piece of each. This time, however, I implemented portion control after remembering last Sunday’s gut buster. We left Gloria’s somewhere near 7pm for home. And just like always, I walked Ykraps as soon as I arrived home. He’s so patient. Mindy got the kids a bath while I read about all of the NFL action from earlier in the day. And incidentally, the Vikings won keeping their slim playoff chances alive. After the kids were fast asleep, Mindy and I both enjoyed a mimosa with the Spumante’ she bought. It was a very satisfying capper to a productive day. She headed to bed around 9:30pm, and I headed up a little after 10pm.

Holiday Hustle & Bustle

1) My Charlie Brown Xmas tree 2) Door to door poinsietta vendors 3) Macy's Xmas shopping There wouldn’t be much slack in my morning. I was up at 7:00am even though my body desired another hour of sleep. After all, priorities are priorities. Mindy needed to be at choir practice by 9am which translated into a 7am wake-up call for me if I wanted to run before she left. I would be staying home with Jacob, Kaileigh, and Bella. Just the idea that I would have to postpone my run until sometime after 12 noon sent shivers down my spine. That’s all I needed as motivation to get up and moving. While I pounded out my exercises the kids began to stir and mill about the house. Mindy remained in bed for a little while longer. By the time I returned from walking Ykraps everyone was up and about. Mindy began making bacon and eggs just before I left for my run. For the first time in a long while, I was running before 8am on a Saturday. I took the Trabue Rd route, and the traffic wasn’t too bad at all. I was back by 8:30am and breakfast was all but ready. I finished cooking the eggs so Mindy could put the finishing touches on herself before heading to choir. By 8:55am Mindy was gone and I was left to fend for myself with Jacob, Bella, and Kaileigh! We ate our breakfast, played, and watched some television. The kids wanted to watch Elf. While the kids watched the movie, I blogged. I got out my saxophone out for a blow after blogging. Bella was not too amused. She insisted I stop playing. If wish you could’ve seen her eyes! I didn’t stop. Instead, I asked her to go play in another room if my booming tunes bothered her. Time passed quickly and soon Shelly, Kaileigh’s step-mother to be showed up to picked her up. Earlier, I had tried unsuccessfully to get permission for Kaileigh to stay again tonight. Shelly had plans to get Kaileigh’s hair done, so she couldn’t allow it. I don’t see Kaileigh nearly enough. Mindy was home in two shakes of a rattle. It was just after 12 noon. I took a fast shower then dressed for an afternoon of Xmas shopping alone. I thought that I might take in a movie too but didn’t have any firm plans. Just before leaving, we were solicited by a pack of young girls selling small poinsiettas for $4 each. Mindy bought one and gave them $5. I left for Tuttle Mall around 12:30pm. Reality struck once I got within a mile of the mall. Traffic was backed up on I-270 for at least a mile as it often is around the holidays. The idea that it was a shopping weekend never fully dawned on me until that moment. I would soon be in the middle of all the Xmas shopping chaos. Being a Tuttle mall veteran I was smart enough to know to avoid the foolish practice of circling in the lot waiting for a close parking spot. Instead, I drove around back and found a spot quickly, but even those were few and far between. I shopped Macy’s first – my favorite store. After 1.5 hours and about six stores later, I left empty handed. I know myself all to well. I need to find that first gift before I start making measurable progress. My next stop was the Sawmill Rd area. I stopped in the Wine Vault to check for Honey Raspberry Ale. They had none. However, the stop wasn’t for not. I managed to find a hard-to-find gift for another. Next, I shopped Target. This used to be my favorite Target in the city. Today, however, it was a bit picked over, but I did manage to drop a couple hundo on many small gifts for family. After Target I crossed Sawmill to shop Kohl’s and Dick’s. Most notably, I was hoping to find a Buckeye jersey for Jacoby. Kohl’s had no youth jerseys and Dick’s the lines were 25 deep in each lane. I wasn’t waiting and there was only one jersey close to his size. I put it back for another to purchase. I felt OK with my limited progress. Realistically, this is a three or four major shopping day thing for me each year. One down, three to go. Before heading home I had a few more stops. First, I stopped at Strader’s after hearing a radio add for $5 poinsettia plants. I stopped and bought two. Mindy called for about the fourth or fifth time. Honestly, I thought about not answering but ultimately did. Holy smoke! She asked me to pick-up the proverbial milk if I thought about it. On my way down Riverside Dr I stopped at the Big Greek Cuisina to get a gyro combo. They have the best gyros in town bar none. My loop was almost complete. I had one or two more stops. I stopped at Kroger in lower Arlington/Grandview on Chambers Rd to pick-up some beer, wine, and yes, milk. I was going to stop at Gentile’s too but after Kroger there wasn’t a real need. For a grocery store, they have a most excellent beer selection. It was nearly 5pm and I was finally headed home. I had pretty much circled the entire NW side, albeit efficiently with little or no back tracking. That’s always an indirect goal of such adventures. And even though I didn’t get some people taken care of as I had wished, I did get some good ideas. At home I put things away and took Ykraps on his evening walk. The sun was sinking fast. Just as we got back home, Mindy and the kids returned form visiting her friend Tara. For the next couple of hours we tidied up around the house and the kids ate their Wendy’s dinner. Mindy picked herself up some Barley’s carry-out. Mindy wanted the kids in bed by 7:30pm if for no other reason than their late night Friday. Jacob was understandably bummed about the potential of missing the Heisman announcement. I assured him that I would wake him up. He reluctantly bought that option. But realistically, he had little choice! The Heisman show began promptly at 8pm. I pour myself one of my new Holiday Ales - Goose Island Christmas Ale. It was very yummy. ESPN milked the Heisman show for an entire hour, but did a very nice job. Troy Smith, our OSU hero, won it! He beat out a local boy, Brady Quinn from Notre Dame. Troy Smith spoke with conviction and intent. I was very impressed. Seemingly, he’s become a good role model for our youth. I’m very glad he won. After the Heisman, I had a couple more beers. I switched back and forth between Columbus Pale Ale and the Goose Island Christmas Ale. We went to bed just after 10pm. Another morning with pressing deadlines comes Sunday.

Traded a night at Barley's for a night with Kaileigh

1) Kaileigh and Bella entertaining us with song 2) ornament 1 3) ornament 2 Diffused moonlight was shining through the half-moon window as I cracked an eye towards the clock. It was about 5:40am. Time to get up. By the time I brushed my teeth, pee'd, and was downstairs, it was 5:45am. I choked down my vitamin then tucked my toes neatly under the lip of the sofa to rip off 55 sit-ups. Fifty push-ups and forty curls later, Ykraps and I were bundling ourselves for an early winter's walk. It was brutally cold! It was only 10 degrees! The forecasted low wasn't expected to drop below 18, but somehow it had plummeted further. Perhaps because of the clearing skies. To complement the low temperatures, there was a swift NW breeze blowing too, only adding to artic blast. I was eager to get back home and get some hot coffee in our bellies. But the last time I gave Ykraps coffee he got the shits. Although, it might have had more to do with the creamer than it did with the coffee. You see, I gave him the expired stuff. Never again, though. I don't care how much he begs! I took Mindy a cup and placed on my night stand. She was grateful. I returned downstairs to read the Daily OM, meditate, and prepare breakfast and lunch. Today's Daily OM was about experiences and how we may at the present perceive them as either positive or negative. In the long run, however, they're neither. Instead, they're building blocks of a well intending universe. http://www.dailyom.com/articles/2006/5957.html Come 7:00am lunches were packed and breakfast was ready. Neither of kids wanted any breakfast. Mindy departed around 7:20am and I took to the shower. I made quick work of my shower and dressing. I was back downstairs ready to go by 7:40am. I took a few pictures, strummed my guitar, and picked up a few items laying loosely around the house. I arrived at work by 8:05am. It was a beautiful sunny morning with just a few clouds hanging around in the eastern sky making for an interesting sunrise. In fact, Mindy called my cell to tell me how taken back she was with the sunrise from her point-of-view. She described something I couldn't see from Hilliard. She was in Grove City. My work day started off like most Friday's. It was really intense. I worked hard up until time to leave for a run. I made it to the gym by 1pm. It was only about 18 degrees. Definitely cold with the ever-present Hilliard wind. As I wound through the Britton Farms subdivision and out onto Davidson Rd I saw a gathered crowd and heard the unmistakable sound of a marching band. What could it be, I wondered. I figured it might be a celebratory parade for the Division 1 State football champs, The Hilliard Davidson Wildcats. It was. They were holding a parade in their honor all along my running trail. As I made my way around the corner and along Davidson Rd, I was out just in front of the marching band. The amassed crowd cheered me as I ran by as if I were their champion. I made the most of it and used it to motivate me. About halfway down Davidson Rd. I had to divert to the road as the crowd poured onto the asphalt running path. By now I was well in front of the parade and the anticipating crowd began to chant and cheer for me again except this time even louder. Of course it was all in jest, and in the name of fun. I played along and thanked everyone for coming out as I ran by. I thought to myself that this might be the closest I ever come to such glory, except, perhaps, when I move onto the afterlife. For certain, this run was one for the book! I was back and showered by 2pm. Too, I was hungry and looking forward to my packed lunch and the last half of my work day. Things got even busier in the afternoon. I was completely immersed in work related escalations. As busy as we were, I was able to smoothly hand-off all the major issues to my peer and left for home somewhere near 5:15pm. I witnessed heavier than usual traffic on I-270 south as I got in my vehicle. So, in an effort to avoid the mess I took the back way down Old Dublin Rd. I was home by 5:33pm - record time and no traffic jams whatsoever. Mindy and I made arrangements earlier in the day to have my GD, Kaileigh over for the night.. Mindy picked her up after school and after running a few errands. I was excited to see her. I haven't seen her for about a month. Mindy made pigs-in-a-blanket for the kids and chili dogs for us. They were delicious. After dinner the kids played and watched the movie, Elf. We blew up our queen-sized air mattress so all three kids could sleep in Bella's room. They were excited, and consequently, they stayed up much later than usual. They didn't fall asleep until well after 9pm. That's almost unheard of in Jacob and Bella's world. Kaileigh, I think, stays up later routinely. After the kids were down for the count Mindy and I relaxed in the living room before getting in the hot tub. We hadn't been in the hot tub for probably a month. It was awesome. We piped out Xmas music and there was lots of steam due to the frigid, clear winter air. After hot tubbing I popped two bags of popcorn and cracked yet another beer. I drank four throughout the night. We headed to bed around 11pm.

The First Snow

I woke from my slumber right on time after a very satisfying, relaxing night’s sleep. By the time I was down stairs contemplating my exercise routine it was 5:40am. I choked down a vitamin, refilled my water cup, and began my daily calisthenics. Come 5:50am Ykraps and I were ready to endure the winter chill that lingered just outside the door. The cold air gained my quick attention and left me more awake than I already was. Once Ykraps and I were back, I was fully engaged and ready to get going with my day. I poured two cups of coffee – one for Mindy and one for me. I took Mindy hers then promptly returned downstairs. I read the Daily OM, which dealt with ego and spirit - a great read for those struggling to let go of the notion that we are separate from everyone and all things. After a few minutes on the computer I did my morning meditation. It was the most satisfying in a long while. After finishing, I turned the Xmas music back up, lit the tree and mantle, and got to prepping our daily food. Mindy was gracious enough to make both of us salads for today’s lunch the evening before while she prepared dinner. That made lunch prep go much faster. Essentially, all I had to pack were fruit and nuts. For the morning’s breakfast I made scrambled eggs topped with cheddar cheese – a common entrée. The children were slow to get moving this morning and didn’t move for much of a breakfast, but then again, it’s often hit or miss. After Mindy left I leisurely made my way to the shower and readied for work. As daylight broke, it began to snow and stick. It was a real winter wonderland. I took a number of pictures to commemorate the event. I left for work at 7:45am and arrived just after 8am. There were several slippery spots on Wilson Rd since the majority of the snow fell right at rush hour, but once on I-270, it was smooth sailing. It felt good to be back in my office for the entire day. I got plenty of catch-up work done and left for a run around 12:45pm. It was a very chilly run. I bundled in three upper layers which adequately masked the chill. Let’s just say that mini-me froze out on the trail. The afternoon in the office went quickly, and things continued getting busier as the day’s end neared. I stayed after it until about 5:20pm when I finally left for home. I called Mindy and let her know that I was stopping at Target and Home Depot first. I stopped at Target first where I bought that tree topper I wanted as well as some other tree decorations, dental floss, and sharpie metallic markers. At Home Depot I bought some more D-Con mouse treats to feed the mice that find there way into my garage when it turns cold. In addition, I bought the material to make the 6ft coat rack in the laundry room. That consisted of one 1x4x6’ and ten coat hooks. I also bought some furnace filters & a beautiful lamp for Bella’s room. Mindy and I later decided we’d give it to her for Xmas. At home Mindy was just putting the salmon in the broiler. I dressed warmly to walk Ykraps as the temperature continued to drop. There was a very stiff cold wind coming out of the NW. When we returned I carried in an armful of firewood. Diner was soon ready. We had a very low carb meal. We had broiled salmon and brussel sprouts. Mindy whipped up a tasty coating for the salmon, too. A recipe she found in the Adkins book. After dinner I cleaned up the dishes in a hurry. As soon as I finished I bolted to the PC to update my blog and catch me through Wednesday. Meanwhile, Mindy and the kids readied for a game of Topple. I joined them minutes later after I had added text and pics to my blog. The game didn’t last as long as the game the other night. The kids were distracted somewhat by the Rudolph movie that whirled in the DVD player. At 7:45pm Mindy rushed the kids upstairs to brush their teeth and get into their PJ’s. They were in bed and asleep in very short order. Mindy began some laundry. I headed back downstairs and poured myself a glass of champagne while I mounted the new tree topper and placed the spiral tinsel on the family room tree. When Mindy finally joined me, she poured herself a glass of shiraz. We then tweaked a few of the tree decorations. We removed all of the red poinsettias and replaced them with all white helping give the tree that silvery shiny look I was going for. We spent a little while talking about us – Mindy likes to do that often. At 10pm we headed up to bed. We never did build that fire.

A Good Night's Sleep

Ykraps is concerned after hearing word of a coyote in the neighborhood. He asked if we could move. Jacob figured out quickly that I put dish soap in his cereal. I was up at 5:45am after a fulfilling and restful night’s sleep. I literally leaped from bed to begin my morning routine. After making quick work of my exercise and walk with Ykraps I returned to read the Daily OM before doing my own meditation. The message was freakishly timely, as is often the case. It was about “Lashing Out” – expressing our emotions. I found great meaning in it. I began the rest of my morning in a wonderfully positive mood. I did my usual breakfast prep but once again didn’t need to pack my own lunch since I still had Monday’s in the fridge at work. I had only to pack nuts and fruit for Mindy. Mindy left for work around 7:20am and I headed up to shower and dress. I took a few minutes to pay some early monthly bills and to take a few pictures. The weather was expected to turn much chillier today. I kept in the back of my mind the ongoing manager’s conference at work but decided against an early run. We were scheduled to wrap up today at noon anyhow. I left for work at 7:55am. I arrived close to 8:10am - long enough to head upstairs and drop my coat, fill my water, and grab my coffee creamer. I was downstairs in the conference room by 8:30am. We picked up where we left off the day before. The morning presentations went fast. Before we knew it, it was noon and time to move on and back to reality. I headed upstairs to my center where I checked a few emails and addressed a couple pending tasks. I left for a run at 1pm ET. It was chilly and there was a stiff breeze blowing almost directly out of the west. But after last Friday’s 65 mph wind, this was nothing! Believe it or not, I still felt a little queasy from the D&B thing. I toughed it out and was back in the gym after 42 minutes. A hot shower felt really good and helped me transition into the afternoon. Back in my office I ate my two-day old lunch and worked to dig out of the hole created from being out of pocket for almost two days. I worked hard, too. I didn’t leave the building until almost 5:25pm. On my way out I ran into my old buddy, Don Robinett. I shared the news of my recent engagement and let him know that we would eventually be distant family. Don is someone I have always respected on so many levels. I left for home but thought I might stop at Target to buy this silver wire tree topper for one of our family Xmas trees. After talking with Mindy, I could tell that she was a little disappointed that I was running late. It always seems to happen on Mindy Wednesday’s. I scrapped the Target stop and headed straight home where dinner would be waiting. Once in the door I could smell the polish sausage and sauerkraut cooking. It smelt wonderful! But before digging in, we took Ykraps on his evening walk. The night was turning colder quick. Tomorrow promises to not even top freezing, and it's expected to deliver the season’s first appreciable snow fall. I could check my blog, but last year I'm quite sure that we got our first and only big snow storm this same week. In fact, I think it was on December 8th. We finally sat down to eat our dinner. The meal tasted even better than it smelt. I decided to add a hint of honey to both the kraut and the sausage. That made it taste even better. We both had a second helping. After we cleaned up the dishes Mindy readied for choir – early than usual. She reported needing to rehearse her solos before others arrived. She left by 6:30pm. After her departure I decided the time would best be spent updating my lagging blog. I worked on my blog for the next hour solid adding both text and pictures. Jim brought the kids home just before 7:30pm. Bella seemed delighted to be home, but Jacob did not, at least not until his daddy was out of sight. To help them transition to home, I offered up some TV. They wanted to watch a Xmas show. Fortunately, The Grinch had just begun on the Cartoon Network. I allowed them to stay up till 8pm watching. When it ended, I rushed them upstairs for PJ’s, read, and tuck. That went with little incident. By 8:20pm I had the kids asleep soundly. Back downstairs I continued my work on the blog. By the time Mindy arrived home – almost 9pm, I was caught up through Monday. Once she got settled in, we talked about a few things while I put up my Charlie Brown Xmas tree. This was my solution to our tree dilemma. I need that creative outlet for Xmas. More pointedly, we discussed Lindsey’s childcare situation and came to a conclusion how we’d help moving forward. But before finalizing I’ll let the idea sink in for a day or two. Mindy headed off to bed just after 10pm. I stayed up about ten minutes longer matching up a basket of clean white socks. At 10:30pm I headed up to bed also.

Motion Thickness

Me after gaming Xmas tree in it's bling Although I slept much more soundly, I still woke feeling tired and achy after another night sleeping on the family room sofa. It’s not like I was relegated to the sofa, however. That would never happen. Instead, I just didn’t feel like getting up and going to bed. At one point, I woke during the night and dropped to the floor seeing it as a better option for my back. And while it was better for my back, it’s much too hard for a comfy night’s sleep. I woke at 5:45am and got going with my day. I brushed my teeth using my gym bag grooming kit, so I didn’t need to go upstairs. I exercised, walked Ykraps, and got busy with the day’s breakfast. I didn’t need to pack a lunch since I had food that I prepared for Monday already in the fridge. When Mindy came downstairs I let her know that I would remain out of pocket for the better part of the next two days due to a Manager’s conference. And I could tell she was a little aggravated with me after last evening’s tree decorating debacle. However, we discussed the particulars only briefly as I prepared to enter the shower. She left for school and I readied for work. I took my time since I didn’t’ need to be at work until 8:30am. I left for work at 7:50am. At work I went to my office to login, but then headed directly to the conference room specified for our meeting. The verdict’s still out on these multi-day conferences. Are they meaningful & productive, or are they just a diversion from the grind? We went all day long with only a working lunch. I was chomping at the bit to go for my afternoon run, but never let on that it bothered me (Never let em’ see you sweat). Around 3pm we bolted for a team building exercise at Dave & Buster’s. And I’m not a D&B kinda guy. I’ve never put a dime in a video game in my life, although I have played pinball and air hockey at Funway Freeway years ago. We were each given 130 point cards to do with as we saw fit. I couldn’t hardly walk around like a bump on a log all afternoon so eventually I asked a peer to race jet skis. It was fun but he won. As it turned out, I was going the wrong way most of the time. From there we moved on to race cars. Fun for the first minute, but after that I got really sick. I was dizzy beyond belief and had an upset tummy. I walked away on my own to try and shake it off. I never did. I played about ten games of Skee-Ball until I could take it no longer. I bolted for home around 4:30pm. I called Mindy on my way home so she wouldn’t be surprised at my early arrival. She didn’t seem too excited that I was coming home early. I warned her that I was feeling ill and also had to run immediately. So, as soon as I arrived home I dawned my running clothes and hit the streets of Scioto Woods. The cold air against my face was a welcome addition. It at least temporarily washed away the squeamish feeling. Back at home Mindy had prepared dinner, bunless cheeseburgers and green beans. The burgers were delicious! After dinner we played Topple on the family room floor wit the kids. At 7:20pm the kids were ready and in bed. Mindy and I retreated to the livingroom for a heart to heart chat. It proved meaningful and productive, I think. We went to bed between 9:30an d 10:00pm. I was looking forward not only to a full night’s sleep but one in my own bed.

Work From Home

1) sunshine Monday morning, 10am 2) naked tree 3) step-mother Sheila with her charm necklace 4) It's a 30 year old 'Jimmy'. My first oil painting comes home - 1976 I did most of my Sunday night sleeping on the sofa, what little there was. My neck/back ached as it often does whenever I spend any measurable time on that sofa. I ‘woke’ for work around 5:40am. My head was all abuzz from a lack of sleep and the sugar buzz left over from the evening before. Crusty is a good description for how I felt. Regardless of how I felt, I sucked it up and readied for the work day as normal, or so I thought. I exercised, walked Ykraps, and contemplated the many issues swirling about my brain. My thinking wasn't all that positive most likely due to lack of sleep. I prepared lunches and breakfast and moved about as if the day would go as planned. As Mindy was preparing to leave for the day she reentered the house requesting help lowering the garage door. It was much colder today than those days past. She had already fooled around with the detector lights thinking they were out of align. History tells me it was due mostly to the sudden drop in temperature. I had to do nothing more than threaten the sensitivity switch & and down it came just as easily as ever. Problem solved! The problem was solved but my disposition had changed. I was determined to take care of a major Jimmy need. My body, mind, and soul could not continue on with my usual Monday pattern of shower and then work. I decided right then that I was going to work from home. I logged in to our corporate intranet & sent my boss and peers an note telling them as much. I needed a day like this. After mentally preparing myself for this day of solitude I dawned my running attire for a brisk morning run. I was out the door by 8:15am. It was a cold, but sunny run. And it was very enjoyable. All the stress an pressure I felt earlier had lifted and more importantly, the sugar buzz had subsided. Once I was back in the warm house I logged back into work and began working. And while I could never work form home everyday, it was sure nice to sit in my PJ's doing my job just as I would from my office. I interacted with my team members and even joined a conference call meeting with my peers around 11am. We met for almost one hour. After the meeting I continued working all afternoon. I took a few breaks. Around 2pm I put Xmas lights on the tree that Mindy and I put up in the family room. After completing the tree I did some more work then took a shower. At 4:15 I wrapped up for the day. At 4:30pm I left for my Dad's place, taking the birthday card and gift we had for Sheila. They were home as I expected they would be. Aunt Margie was there, too. Sheila had the first chemo treatment today. I gave Sheila her card and gift and we visited for about 1.5 hours. Just before leaving, I asked my dad if I could one day have the oil painting I completed in high school that hung on the wall of their enclosed front porch. He fetched it right then. When I left for home I gave Mindy a call on her cell. She had been Xmas shopping and dining with her momma. I arrived home and quickly leashed up Ykraps for a cold early winter's walk. Just as I was leading Ykraps out the door Jim surprisingly arrived back home with the kids. I told him he could go right in while I walked Ykraps. Mindy wasn't home yet, and he was about an hour earlier than usual. Jim left soon after I returned with Ykraps. And Mindy arrived home soon after he departed. I made myself some chicken broth and relaxed at the kitchen table. Mindy and the kids began decorating the Xmas tree. And truth be told, I wasn't that thrilled with the idea of using her mixture of sentimental and classical tree decorations. In fact, I didn't even want the tree in the family room. Instead, I wanted it centered on the living room picture window. This compromise thing was for the birds! I have always treated a Xmas tree like a canvas. It is my seasonal work of art. Because of this, I think it's fair to say, I pouted and then chose not to participate in the tree decorating. Meanwhile, despite the tree being nine foot tall, the kids placed all of their ornaments on the bottom third of the tree. After their decorating hour, Mindy rushed them upstairs for bath and bed. I participated just briefly in the read and tuck before returning back downstairs. I tuned into the MNF game - Eagles vs. Panthers. The Eagles won! Mindy asked me why I was so stand-off-ish about the tree. I explained myself best I could. I didn't plan to compromise on how my Xmas tree would look. It bothered me - plain and simple. I slept on the sofa all night - again!

Mimosa and the Vikings!

1) Champagne and OJ with breakfast 2) Bella in costume on our way to Gloria's (Mindy's mom's) We woke Sunday morning at almost 9am again. Because we slept so late, I was certain that Mindy wasn’t going to church. In fact, she stayed in bed long after I got up and got moving. She slept till almost 10am. I took my time since it was my day off. I coffee’d then readied for a run. I chose this time to stay in the subdivision. Upon my return I enjoyed a hot breakfast prepared by Mindy. To complement the eggs and fruit, I made us mimosa’s. We laughed as we taste tested the champagne we bought at Kroger on sale for $5.99. We could hardly tell any difference from the $70 bottle of Moet & Chandon we bought at our engagement celebration dinner in Oregon with Rina and Glenn. Marketing, I would suspect. I ended up having three of those puppies. Mindy had two. Before I knew it was NFL time. And today’s game featured the Vikings against the Bears. I was sure we could beat them. Sparing you the details, we couldn’t we lost despite holding them to a lowly 107 yards of offense and into 5 turnovers. Biggest problem was, we turned the ball over five times, too. And if that wasn’t enough, we allowed a punt and an interception to be returned for touchdowns. Boo! I yelled at the TV more than once. I don’t know that I’ve seen a poorer performance from my team since the Cincinnati game last September 18th. Before the final gun, we had to depart for Gloria’s for Sunday dinner. Learning the final score would have to wait but the outcome wasn’t in question. But just before leaving the house, Jacob and I carried up the 9ft artificial Xmas tree. We arrived at Gloria’s just after 4pm. Everyone was present for the first time in a long while. We had sloppy Joe’s, fried potatoes, and meatloaf. For dessert we had chocolate cake with chocolate icing on top and butter cream icing in the middle. I foolishly ate what amounted to three pieces. It tasted so good! I would pay later. We left for home around 6:45pm. Jacob and I walked Ykraps once home. Mindy got the kids ready for bed. I was not only stuffed, but also wired from too much sugar – just a terrible feeling! I laid around feeling wired through the night. I tried sleeping during the SNF game but couldn’t. I got up from bed around midnight because I couldn’t sleep. I laid on the couch with my mid going 100 mph hour almost all night.

Someone Else's Wedding

A coyote wandering in my backyard. Can you say - NO GEESE! ( and yes, Pat, it's real) Mindy's friend Shelly ties the knot. Pictured - Mindy,Shelly, Bill, Jeremy (best man), and then Shelly and Bill's blended family. Mindy at CBC. We slept in until just after 9am Saturday morning. I was surprised it was so late but obviously needed the sleep. We needed to get up and get moving, though because Mindy had to be at the church by 10:15am for Shelly’s wedding. I made quick work of my exercises and Ykraps walk. I returned for coffee with Mindy. Before running I drove Mindy to St. John’s Lutheran church, where the wedding would take place a couple hours later. I returned home to run. I was back home by 10:30am. I copied all of November’s pictures to CD before leaving for a run. It was 11am when I headed out the door. I had to hurry since I had to be back at the church by 12:15pm for the actual wedding. I was back by 11:35am. I showered and dressed in my tan, Evan Picone suit. Just before laving I cleared all the pics from my camera memory and exchanged the batteries for those freshly charged. I took a quick pic of myself before heading out the door. When I glanced out back I saw what at first I thought was a stray dog lingering in my back yard. However, on closer observation, It was a Coyote! Camera already in hand, I quickly snapped off four pictures, the first through the glass for not wanting to scare it away. After that, the remaining three were with the door open and him recognizing my presence. He didn’t bolt like I though he might. Eventually, he moseyed away towards the woods. It spooked me just a little, but I liked the potential trade-off - coyotes for no geese! I rushed out of the house at 12:05pn in a hurry to get to the wedding. Mindy asked that I be there by 12:15pm. I didn’t want to disappoint. I was stopped at every light, but still made it there by 12:19pm – close enough! I was seated right away. This was a relatively ‘small’ wedding only about 30-40 people including small children. The ceremony lasted only about 20 minutes, but then there was the picture taking afterwards with various wedding party attendees. As they departed the church we blew bubbles limousine side. We loaded up our stuff and drove off to the reception all the way out at Oakhurst Country Club. I was starving having only eaten a couple chunks of cheese prior to leaving the house. At the reception Mindy and I scarfed some meatballs and lil’ baby sandwiches. They had a cash bar and it was still early (2:00pm), so I didn’t partake in any drinking if alcohol. Mindy lead an impromptu toast to the bride and did quite well. Through the reception Mindy and I danced a few times, although Mindy danced much more than I. One of the brides neighbors/friend is a Latino woman, an man could she dance. You might say she had ‘mojo’! We stayed at the reception until almost 5:45pm. I was beyond ready to go. On our way home we stopped by Cross Roads united Methodist Church so that Mindy could decorate the altar. She volunteers for this function frequently. The church was other wise empty. While she decorated the altar, I goofed around. I played the piano, acted as if I were giving the sermon, and then took a number of pictures. I wanted to drink some holy water but the caldron was empty. Were out of there after 30 minutes or so. It was unique to live behind the scenes so to speak. Finally home, I walked Ykraps and then tuned into the final ten minutes of the USC/UCLA game. The game was significant in that if USC won, they were all but assured of playing us in the National Championship game. If they lost, then Michigan would likely get a rematch. I wanted USC to lose to force the rematch with Michigan. USC lost just as I had hoped. Mindy and I left for dinner. We landed at CBC – Columbus Brewing Company – a Cameron Mitchell restaurant. We chose to sit at the bar in lieu of a table. That way I could keep an eye on the Florida Arkansas game. We ordered drinks and appetizers. I ordered a key lime martini and Mindy ordered a Shiraz. My martini did not taste so good. When the server asked how it was I was kind but honest. She comp’d me a CBC Pale Ale. Later, I ordered a 90 Schilling, their Scottish Ale. It was extremely good and very strong. We hung out at CBC for about two hours. We made friends with a couple of girls who sat next to us. Both had anthropology degrees. We got to talking bout our visit to Seattle and the Bodies Exhibit. We talked for some time. They were an interesting couple. We left close to 10pm. Before heading back home our curiosity took us to the new Brewery District Kroger. We’d heard so much about how nice it is and wanted to see it. Besides, we needed a few things. It was right around the corner. While inside, and yes, it was very nice, we bought some veggies, champagne, orange juice, pop-tarts, and a few other miscellaneous items. Finally, after 30 minutes in Kroger, we were destined for home. At home we didn’t waste much time getting ready for bed. We were both exhausted.

An amended end

Brother Robert's newest addition, Evan Mathew Wright - born 11/29 @ 3:58pm ET - 8lbs 4oz. - 21 inches , and he's tall too! :) The deck as we transition from spring weather to more winter-like conditions Mindy's manger scene - according to her, a holiday must! Although I can’t say with 100% certainty that I woke on time, I am all but certain it was very close to 5:30am. Friday began as a warm, rainy day but ended cold, gray, windy. The day would serve as a transition from the freakishly warm late November weather to the more realistic, December type weather – right on cue. I worked hard & ran hard. This day will go down as one of the most challenging runs of all time. We had a westerly wind gusting up to 65 mph and rarely settling under about 40 mph. It stood me right up! The good news was that once I made it to the turnaround point (2.5 miles) It was smooth sailing! For the first time ever, the wind nearly pushed me over on the return. I had to fight to slow down a few times. I was anxious to get home and get on with my weekend. Mindy was heading to a Wedding rehearsal and dinner so I would have a couple of hours to do whatever I pleased. After bidding her farewell, I spent the next couple of hours tending to household chores. At 7:45pm I left for Barley’s. Mindy planned to meet me there after her wedding thing. I arrived to a very crowded bar (standing room only). Bob and Mary Ann, and Jeremy and Courtney were the first faces I saw. They were near the entrance. They congratulated me on my recent engagement, and never bought the “break-up” story I concocted as explanation for Mindy not being with me. I didn’t try to sell it too hard. As we talked and exchanged greetings, Mindy showed up. In celebration, Bob bought the two of us our first drinks. I had a Xmas Ale, Mindy had a Shiraz. She was eager to share her ring and the ‘engagement story’ with everyone, and did. Soon Mindy’s friends, Keri Ann and Kevin arrived. We talked and eventually ordered some food. After we ate and had another beer, Mindy’s friend Tara and her hubby, Alfonso arrived. He’s from Peru. He spoke very broken English. We hung at Barley’s until maybe 11pm. I was getting very sleepy – probably form the exhaustive, windy run earlier in the day. We were home and in bed by midnight.